Removable hood



July 18, 1944.

H. F. STIFFLER REMOVABLE HOOD Filed Aug. 5, 1943 FIG. 1

| r l l l A I I I I FIGA- Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOVABLE HOOD Harold F. Stifiler, Medway, Ohio Application August 5, 1943, Serial No. 497,535

Claims. (Cl. 9590) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) I8 and a pair of pins l9 are shown as securing each block IT to the ends of the two bars so that the hood assembly is rigid. Each bar has Qf any royalty thereom a depending integral flange 20 extending for its This invention relates to removable hoods for 5 n ire length, and a sponge rubber gasket 2|, with photographic film holders, adapted to be used a central opening Zia for the film holder, is seo uch holders when they are inserted through cured to the underside of each bar adjacent the the opening in the top of a daylight processing flange 20 but on the inside thereof. As shown or developing tank. The general object of the In Fig. 5, the gasket 2| seats on the top edges invention is to provide a hood which is an effec- Q the flanges ll of t ta d e p o exclude tive light guard at the top of th t k b t p rlight from the film holder when in the tank. T0 mits a slight oscillation of the holder while in secure the hood upon the holder, the latter is the tank for the purpose of agitating the soluprov1ded with two flat metal inserts 22 secured tions." Other objects are to provide a removable y Screws 23 at the t uppe ost corners on hood which is attached by a single motion of elthelf de of the dark slide 24, which is slidthe user which is positively locked in position able 1n and t f the film holder, as is con- When attached and which may be easily detached, ventional. These inserts have notches 25 for co- With one hand if necessary. A further object i operating with latches 26 carried at each end of to provide attaching means for a hood which the hood; Each latch 25 is DIVOted 011 a P n employs no projections beyond the normal outs u n eofi blocks l1 a d has a p oline of the holder such as would interfere with lectlng nose 28 t a fl upper edge 28a and use of the holder. Other objects will be apparent a cam dge 28b, sald e bemg re e cd wlthm from the following description of a preferred eme notch e the parts a e Secured together bodiment of the invention shown in the accom- (Flg- 3% prlng 9 mounted on pm 21 urges panying drawing, Wherein-- 25 the latch into engagement with the notch, while Fig 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic Sectional permitting manual release of the latch. When elevation showing a developing tank in phantom the Parts e d, any pull or hfting force on with a film holder inserted in the tank and the e hood W111 act l ec y th ough the central removable hood of the invention attached to the axis of P 27, e that there tendency for holder; 30 thelatches to disengage or loosen even when Fig. 2 is a top plan view, on a large scale, of 'sublected to Severe StreSSeS- To operate each one f the twonke ends of the hood; latch and also enclose 1t and exclude light, a Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of P 30 15 secured to the latch as the same, on the same scale, showing a portion by a Pall of P1115 30a, each P e av ng end flanges 3! which fit around the outside of the The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of the film holde Fig 4 is an end elevation f the hood on the block (Fig. 2). Movement of the latch inwardly same Scale; and beyond the position shown in Fig. 3 is prevented by engagement of the plate 30 with the block.

Fig. 5 is a cross section through the two spaced bars of the hood body, part being broken away, the film holder and top flanges of the tank being shown in phantom.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the developing tank ID has upstanding flanges H at the top on which the hood rests, as will be described. Light-shielding gaskets l2 are mounted in the tank below the opening I3 and embrace the sides of film holder I4 when the latter is immersed in the tank. The several partitions which divide the tank into compartments are omitted When the hood is to be applied to a holder,

40 both ends are ordinarily grasped and the hood is moved down until the rounded surface 281) of each latch engages the cam edge 22a of the metal insert 22, whereupon the latch is moved outwardly against the resistance of the spring. The block is arcuately rounded on the axis of the pin as indicated at 32 (Fig. 3), so that as the plate moves upwardly with outward releasing movement of the latch, its upper end slides over the surface of the block, maintaining a light seal as well as other features f the tank since the at the contacting surfaces. Finally, the fiat edge invention is independent of any of these features 28a of the latch snaps beneath the flat edge 22b The hood of my invention comprises two paralof the metal insert, and the hood is securely lel bars IS, with a long, narrow opening l6 bclocked at both ends- Disengagement ay be tween them for the holder l4, and two blocks H m d y n d nly. i ss y. y pu secured at the ends of the bars. A pair of screws s Out On h lower end of either D P ate 30, which swings the latch attached thereto to clear the notch 25, whereupon the hood may be disengaged at the opposite end and lifted off. The construction and arrangement even permits manipulation of the hood by a gloved hand, which saves the photographers time, since he must sometimes work with rubber gloves or even heavy lined mittens. When the hood is in position the holder may be oscillated to agitate the solutions in the tank, without permitting light to enter. This oscillation is possible because the film holder is supported on the tank entirely through the soft gaskets 2| and because the holder fits loosely in the tank opening.

It has been proposed to employ a portable developing tank having a removable top member provided with a fibrous light-excluding strip in contact with the usual slide, and also provided with locking means to secure the top member to the upper end of a negative carrier which is slidable into a frame. This disclosure is found in the Gindele Patent No. 1,256,893, dated February 19, 1918. However, so far as I know, I am the first to provide a hood for film holders which will permit a slight oscillation of the holder while in the tank for the purpose of agitating the solutions; also to provide positive and dependable locking means for the hood which may be manipulated by one hand, if necessary.

Obviously the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment herein disclosed but may assume many forms Within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a film holder having a notch at each upper corner; a hood enclosing the upper end of the film holder; a spring-actuated latch at each end of the hood and adapted to engage the notch in the adjacent corner of the film holder; and a plate secured to each latch and providing convenient means for releasing the latch; each latch automatically engaging when the hood is moved down over the end of the film holder.

2. In combination with a developing tank and a film holder adapted to be inserted in the tank at the top thereof, a removable hood for the film holder; co-operating means on the hood and film holder to lock the hood upon the upper end of the film holder; and means to mount the hood on the tank to permit oscillation of the film holder Within the tank when locked to the hood, thereby to agitate the tank solutions.

3. A removable hood for film holders of the type which are insertible in developing tanks having upstanding, spaced top flanges, comprising a pair of parallel bars rigidly secured together, the space between the bars being sufficient to admit the end of the film holder, which is, therefore, slidable through the hood; operator-released means to secure the hood to the film holder; and means on the hood to fit over the flanges on the tank and exclude light from the tank.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the means to secure the hood to the film holder comprises a spring-actuated latch pivoted on the hood at one end, and a co-operating latch-engaging member fixed at the top of the film holder and adapted to engage the latch and by cam action force the latch out of its path as the hood is being assembled with the film holder, the latch finally snapping under the latch-engaging memher when the parts are completely assembled, to lock the hood rigidly on the film holder; a plate rigidly secured to the latch at the end of the hood and swingable with the latch, and being constructed and arranged to serve as a handle for latch releasing by the operator; the hood being cut away on an arc to permit swinging of the plate with the latch, and the plate closely fitting the arcuate surface of the hood to prevent light from reaching the film on the film holder during manipulation of the latch.

5. In combination with a developing tank having upstanding top flanges and a film holder adapted to be inserted in the tank at the top thereof between said flanges, a removable hood for the film holder; a latch at each end of the hood; means on the film holder with which the latches engage to lock the hood on the film holder; a pair of parallel soft gaskets secured to the underside of the hood; said gaskets seating on the upper edges of the top flanges of the tank so that the film holder has its only support on the tank through said gaskets; the gaskets being of soft material not only to make light-sealing contact with the top flanges, but also to permit movement of the film holder when in the tank.

HAROLD F. S'IIFFLER. 

